At The Races

Geraghty's Festival Blog

You can read Barry Geraghty's blog daily on attheraces.com throughout the Festival, when he will go through his rides and the feature races in detail.

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DAY 4: FRIDAY 13 MARCH

This is what all jumping fans have been waiting for. It just doesn’t get bigger than Gold Cup day at Cheltenham. The Grand National is up there with it but that’s more of a lottery. In the Gold Cup there are just 16 runners and the eyes of the world will be on me because I’m riding the Queen’s first runner in the race, Barbers Shop.

When you have a good chance in the race you’re right up for it but it’s an even bigger occasion with the Queen so involved.

I’d have to saw that it would be a major buzz for me if I was fortunate enough to ride the Gold Cup winner for her, especially as she’s going to be there — the media attention is amazing. Winning any Gold Cup is special but this would be something extra.

It is also great for racing and jump racing in particular that she is involved, tremendous publicity.

Although it’s a massive day I won’t change any of my routine apart from getting there a bit early to beat the traffic. I had to get to the course early on Thursday to do the Morning Line for Channel Four but that’s out of the way now.

The lowest weight I have is 11 stone so I don’t need a sweat but I might just have 20 minutes to open up the pores and get a real close shave, maybe that’s an omen for Barbers Shop

The last time I sat on him was last weekend when I popped him over four fences, just enough to keep him fresh and well.

When you look at the official figures he has 23 pounds improvement to make in order to get to an in-form Denman and 18 to get to Kauto Star.

I’m not at all certain about Denman’s wellbeing and I do think that 18 pounds is well within the improvement a young chaser  on the way up, which Barbers Shop is.

If Denman was showing any return to his form of last year I doubt he’d be the price he is or is going to be. I won’t rule him out but I definitely make Kauto Star the one we have to beat. He is in great form this year but apart from him you could honestly throw a blanket over the rest.

Exotic Dancer is exposed at this level, although he always runs a solid enough race.

Neptune Collognes won well  enough when he beat Notre Pere at Leopardstown in February but in all honesty I wouldn’t be fancying Notre Pere for a Gold Cup.
The other horse I’d be respecting is Madison De Berlais. People are ignoring his easy  Kempton win over Denman and Albertas Run was 50 lengths back in third.

He won the Hennessy like Denman did last season and Madison De Berlais has had a much better easier time this season than last.

But when you look at Barbers Shop’s form it looks pretty good after yesterday. On his first run of the season over a trip too short he was beaten just over two lengths by Imperial Commander trying to give him three pounds and that one took the Ryanair very well.

The ground will be perfect.

When I started  looking at my rides at the start of the week I thought that if I was going to have a winner then Zaynar was my best chance in the Triumph Hurdle. His form is there, he’s on the up and although he was unimpressive last time at Ascot in January I feel sure that the cheekpieces will lived him up and be a big help.

The boys in the yard say Dave's Dream is squealing and is four kilos heavier than when he ran in the Imperial Cup, which is a very good sign.

I’m very pleased that Nicky Henderson is running Dave’s Dream in the County Hurdle. He was impressive when he won the Imperial Cup last Saturday, has been raised 18 pounds for that and only has a five pound penalty — you do the math.

The boys in the yard say the horse is squealing and is four kilos heavier than when he ran, which is a very good sign.

My final ride of the meeting is My Petra in the Grand Annual which Nicky loves to win as it’s named in honour of his father, Johnny, who did so much to save Cheltenham and make it what it is today. My Petra was going well enough when she fell with me four out at Cheltenham on New Years Day. She’s been freshened for this race but it is wide open.

I can’t finish without mentioning Punchestowns' great run in the World Hurdle. We won the battle with Kasbah Bliss but we lost the war with Ruby and Big Bucks. I thought I had him when he wasn’t too clever at the last but he won it fair and square but my fellow ran the race of his life in finishing second. There will be plenty of big days for him.

After the last tomorrow it’s my turn to buy a few cases of champagne at the party we have in the weighing room. The riders who have ridden the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup and a few of the other big races chip in — after Tuesday’s win on Punjabi, I’m delighted to be the one that’s spending.
It’s been great talking to you, hope you’ve found my thoughts interesting.

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DAY 3: THURSDAY 12 MARCH

There’s no sport like racing to keep you level headed and after a terrific opening day it was back down to earth yesterday. But I’m not complaining, I walked off the track ok, still in one piece and with no hard luck stories.

But you can always take positives out of riding good horses even when they don’t win and Petit Robin probably ran the best race of his life to finish third to a Master Minded in the Champion Chase. They went a very good gallop and he recovered well from missing the first down the back straight and he had a real good crack at Master Minded from three out to two out and was tired when he made a mistake at the last.

Maybe he’ll be better suited by a move up to two and a half miles at Liverpool next month.

I was disappointed with The Polomoche but on reflection the ground was a bit slow and Mad Max weakened very quickly.

I was up early yesterday morning for Tom Taaffe to give my Festival Plate ride Finger On The Pulse some exercise on the course. We didn’t do much, just had a blow on the all weather, but he felt very well in himself and Tom’s had a winner already at the meeting.

The horse  produced a good performance to finish third to Schindler’s Hunt at Leopardstown in January when I last rode him then he unseated his rider at Thurles a couple of days later.

Don’t forget, he beat Barbers Shop in The Jewson last year and on that form he’s well enough handicapped and in my opinion has a good chance in a very competitive race. One thing, the better the going, the better his chance and we’ll be on fresh ground.

My horse has won round Cheltenham and although people make a lot of him getting beaten there last time, he was coming back from a break and wasn’t primed for that run.

My first ride on Thursday is Au Courant in the Jewson and all I can say is that I do think that the first time blinkers will be a big help.

He ran well enough last time when he was second to Herecomesthetruth at Kempton but I feel that in the second half of this race, when push comes to shove, the blinkers will be useful. He’s not been the easiest horse to train, has limited miles on the clock and I reckon there could be a good day in him.

I ride Galient, another for Nicky Henderson, in the Pertemps Final which is always extremely hard to win. This horse was a decent flat performer for Michael Jarvis and is still relatively unexposed over hurdles with only six runs. His best performance was his second last outing when he was fourth to Ballydub at Newbury in November, beaten under seven lengths, giving the winner eight pounds and he’s now getting 12lb. Ballydub’s right up in the betting and we’ve got to have a good chance of getting to him — and my horse is fresh and well. The ground was very slow on his only run after Newbury when he was a little disappointing on Boxing Day at Wincanton. The fresh ground will suit him well but it is just a very tough race.

I’m really looking forward to riding Punchestowns in the World Hurdle and although Kasbah Bliss is obviously a very good horse I think we have a great chance.
Kasbah Bliss was very impressive when he won at Haydock last time but that wasn’t anything like so competitive as the World Hurdle will be.

My horse has won round Cheltenham and although people make a lot of him getting beaten there last time he ran towards the end of January he was coming back from a break and wasn’t primed for that run. There was also no gallop that day which didn’t suit him. He’ll handle any ground so it wouldn’t worry me if it rained, this horse stays and jumps well.

The vibes are very good after the way he worked at Newbury the week before last and I’d be very, very hopeful of a big run.

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DAY 2: WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH

Days don’t come any better than yesterday. I’d have settled for any one of the races I rode in and I end up winning my first Champion Hurdle on Punjabi and the Arkle as well on Forpadydeplasterer. They were both forgotten horses.

The nearest I’d come to winning the Champion was when I was second to Brave Inca on Macs Joy three years ago. It really meant a lot to me because now I’ve won the greatest five races in the British jumping calendar. The Champion Hurdle, Grand National, Gold Cup, King George and Champion chase. I don’t think many people have managed that and someone said I might be the first.

As I said yesterday, I really thought Punjabi had a great chance so it didn’t surprise me how well we were travelling when the race really picked up. I thought I was going ok three out when I went past Binocular but I didn’t want to take on Celestial Halo any sooner than the last. I was timing my challenge to beat him, he was the one for me at that stage. I thought I’d go away from him on the run-in but he stuck on very well. I thought it was very, very tough on Ruby to get three days for the whip — he was doing all he could do and it’s the Champion Hurdle!

People were saying after this race it was a costly fall when he came down at Kempton over Christmas because he’d have been in line for a million bonus. My reply to that is that it would have been worse if he took a fall in the Champion Hurdle.

J P McManus was a gentleman as always and congratulated me afterwards and I do believe Binocular will be back even better next year — he’s only a five-year-old as Punjabi was when he was third to Katchit last year. I’d say he’d be favourite for that already.

I was very pleased for Tommy Cooper who had been given a bit of stick over Forpadydeplasterer not seeing out his races. It’s easy to pick on the small man but he proved his worth as a trainer the way he produced the horse for the big occasion — he just needed the better ground. I’ll tell you one thing, he’d have been better suited by an even stronger gallop.

I know it’s a competitive race with some very good young staying hurdlers but Mad Max horse has a real good chance. I’ve schooled him since Newbury and he jumped lovely.

Today I’ve got five rides and they all have genuine chances. My first  is Mad Max in the Ballymore, a massive horse who nobody knows how good he is because he’s unbeaten in two bumpers and two novice hurdles.

He did have a wind problem that has been sorted out and has a special bit in the shape of a V that keeps his tongue down. He worked very well at Newbury Sunday before last. He beat Karabak, who’s favourite, when they met at Ascot in November. I know it’s a competitive race with some very good young staying hurdlers but this horse has a real good chance. I’ve schooled him since Newbury and he jumped lovely.

The Market Man is my ride in the RSA Chase and even though he made that bad mistake at Kempton the last time he ran on Boxing Day he just didn’t spark on the day. He’s back to how he was when he travelled and jumped so well at Newbury at the Hennessy meeting. The horse felt real well when we schooled last time. I’m very hopeful of a good run.

In the Champion Chase I ride Petit Robin and although Master Minded is a super horse, every horse is beatable as he showed when he was beaten at Aintree last year and I’d be hoping he’s beaten tomorrow by Petit Robin.

The thing about Petit Robin is that, although he was well behind Master Minded at Ascot, my horse is a lot better going left handed. I know Master Minded is good but it’s no good going into a race with a negative attitude.

In the Coral Cup The Polomoche has a good weight because Lough Dergh has stayed in and left half the field out of the handicap. It’s not a problem that my horse hasn’t run since November, he’s good fresh and is very well in himself. The main thing is he’s run well over two miles but needs this extra distance. I think he’s a good chance in a very tough race.

Higgy’s Boy is another with a very solid chance in an extremely competitive race, the Fred Winter. I still don’t know how good he is and he won very snug at Doncaster last time. The worry is that quite a few horses will have been laid out for this. But my fellow will run all the way to the line and is at the top of his game. The main thing with him is the blinkers, I’d say they have been the making of him and are now a necessity and decent ground helps him, too.

I don’t ride in the bumper but I’ve seen a lot of the Irish horses win and in my opinion Rite Of Passage might be special. Willie Mullins can’t really split his eight runners and Dermot Weld is raving about this horse. He was a good winner of a very good race at Naas last time when he beat one of Willie’s that was 2-5.

It’s traditional that the jockey who wins the Champion Hurdle buys the Champagne and I’ll be doing that at the end on Friday evening after the last. That’s when we’ll have a party. Right now it’s a quiet meal and bed.

It’s business for the next three days — we’re a long way from finished yet.

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DAY 1: TUESDAY 10 MARCH

The week we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived but the build up couldn’t have gone much better for me, winning the Imperial Cup with Dave’s Dream on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson told me he is delighted with the way the horse has come out of the race so I’m very hopeful he’ll run in the County Hurdle on Friday — he’s certainly going to have a great chance and is sure to go up more than his penalty. Make no mistake, it was a very good performance for a horse that is relatively unexposed.

I had planned to have a leisurely day off before Cheltenham but the boss had a couple for me at Plumpton that had good chances. I was booked to fly into Heathrow so it wasn’t a big detour — and  I picked up odds on favourite El Dancer in the third so it made sense to go there straight from the airport.

I’ll pick up my better half, Paula, at Gatwick on the way back and then head for an apartment I’ve taken at Cheltenham. It means I can go to the track early if any of the Irish horses need exercise in the morning and I can spin down to Lambourn if needs be.

Whatever happens I get to the meeting early, about 11.30, and walk the track then settle down and maybe have a sweat.

I sit the first race out, the Supreme Novices. There was never much in there for me and my first ride is Forpadydeplasterer in the Arkle, which I think is extremely open this year — you’ve only got to look at the betting.

My horse has a lot going for him, he stays and he’s a proven jumper of fences and he’s done well on ground much worse than he’s meeting at Cheltenham although nicer ground would be better but he’ll handle whatever comes. I couldn’t call the winner so that means we have every chance.

My ride in the William Hill Trophy Chase, Golden Flight, worked very well when he went to Newbury Sunday before last and I’ve ridden him since at home and was very pleased with him.

He was very good in France, three miles over fences is his game but the Grand National is his long term target. Looking at the opposition, Wichita Lineman and AP are going to be the ones to beat.

Punjabi is much, much better now and I think he’s a giveaway each-way price at 33-1. He was third last year, a year older now and beat Sublimity at Punchestown and Wetherby. I really do think he has a great chance.

In the Champion Hurdle Binocular and AP are again the ones we all have to beat, no doubt about it. I don’t think the ground is that much of an issue for them.

Two of the opposition I did think would have the pace to go with Binocular that won’t be suited by the ground are Sublimity and Harchibald — it’s possibly gone for them.

My horse, Punjabi, is definitely not without a chance.

He was short of race fitness last time when he was beaten in the Kingwell at Wincanton because of the snow. He’s much, much better now and I think he’s a giveaway each-way price at 33-1. He was third last year, a year older now and beat Sublimity at Punchestown and Wetherby. I really do think he has a great chance.

My final ride of the day is Chomba Womba in the David Nicholson Mares race and she is probably my best chance of a winner on the first day. She’s in very good order and her form is the best form in the race, particularly beating Crack Away Jack the way she did over two and a half miles in November. She’d had a break when she was beaten over two miles at Doncaster last time and wasn’t fully revved.

She was third in the race last year and I’d say she is now a better mare and when I schooled her a couple of weeks ago I couldn’t have been happier. When I went through my rides for the meeting she was one of the picks of the week. There are no issues for her, ground or trip.

Whatever happens on the first day, there plenty to look forward to.